Stirrer for mash-tubs



(N0 Modei.)

C. ZIES.

STIRRER FOR MASH TUBS. No. 364,622. Patentedlune 7;, 1887.

l Filll. I

WITNESSES. INVENTDR. a). $2.6M Made 54', W M 19 C/uw 6M I Ja N PETERS,Phow-Lilhugrnpher. Washinglon. D C.

UNITED STATES CHARLES ZIES, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

STIRRER FOR MASH-TU BS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,622, dated June' 7,1 87.

Application filed March 22, 1886.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES Zrns, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Baltimore, in

the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Stirrers for Mash-Tubs, of which the following is a spccifr' cation.

My invention has reference to improvements in stirrer mechanism formash-tubs.

The object of this invention is to provide a stirrer which will rotatein a horizontal plane and be adapted to pass in its rotation over everypart of the tub-bottom and raise therefrom the malted grain, and topress the malted grain which at first is on the top surface of themixture down from the top, effect a thorough admixture of the mash, andto do this with the least possible expenditure .of power.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whicl1--Figure 1 is a vertical section of a mash-tub and the improved stirrer.Fig. 2 is a plan view of same on the horizontal line 00 x.

The letter A designates the side walls, and B the bottom, of an ordinarymash-tub, having the usual opening, 0, for the discharge of the grainafter the wort has been extracted. The driving-shaft D is supported inthe usual manner-that is, its lower end rests on a centrallyplacedstep-bearing, e, which has at its top a fixed gear-wheel, 13. At the topthe drivingshaft .carries awheel, D, which connects with suitablegearing. In the present instance three stirrers-are used. Each stirrerconsists of a vertical shaft, H, having two screw or spiral blades, 9 g,oppositely or reversely pitched. In other words, one spiral blade windsto the right and the other to the left.

The two spiral stirrer-blades are entirely separate devices, and eachmay be adjusted independent of the other up or down on the verticalshaft E. This is important, as the upper blade must be set so as topress down the malt on the top surface of the mixture, while the lowerblade mustbe set to raise the malt from the strainers at the bottom.

The shafts of the several stirrers gg are carried on a suitable framewhichis mounted 5o tate in a horizontal plane.

on the driving-shaft D,and is arranged to ro- The frame in thepresent'instance consists of two horizontal Serial No. 196,073. (Nomodel.)

bars, I 1, made fast one above the other to the di'ivingshaft. the saidtwo bars. Bearings Z are on the two bars for the stirrer-shafts H, twoof which latter are at one side of the driving-shaft D and one at theother side.

Each stirrer-shaft H has'fixed to it a gearwheel, m,just below its lowerbearing, and the lower bar, I, of the frame carries two pinions, n and02 One of these, a, gears with the fixed gear-wheel F on thestep-bearing, and also with the wheel m of one stirrer-shaft. The wheelon of the middle stirrer-shaft also gears with the fixed gear-wheel Fand the pinion n while the latter on the opposite side gears with thegearwheel at on the remaining shaft. One of these rotary stirrers and asuitable rotary carrier may be used.

By having two stirrers mounted on the rotary frame at one side of thedriving-shaft and one at the other side each of the three stirrers inrotating around the driving-shaft will traverse a path of its own, andthereby, it will readily be seen, every part of the tub-bottom will bepassed over.

This machine operates in the following-dc scribed manner: The tub isfirst supplied with water or other liquid, and then the malt is enteredupon this liquid. The stirrers H g being set in motion, each stirrerrevolves independently onits own vertical axis, and also all thestirrers rotate around the vertical drivingshaft. The effect is, thatthe upper spiral blade,

g, presses down the malt which is on the top One or more rods, 70,connect Y VJhere the entire mass of malt and liquid is I made to revolvearound the tub-center--as in the case of many malt-stirrers heretoforeuseda bad effect is produced, to wit: a centrifugal tendency toward thetub-walls is imparted to the malted grain, and when the stirring mech-IOO anism is stopped the entire mass continues for some time thereafterits revolving movement. This results in the grain being forced andpacked against the strainers or perforated bottom with which allmash-tubs are provided, andin consequence the wort or liquid extractcannot flow off freely.

The important advantage referred to, which is obtained by my severalup-and-down whirls and the rotary frame, is, that by this device thereis no continuous revolution of the entire mass, no centrifugal tendency,and no packing of the grain; but, on the contrary, when these stirrersare stopped, the motion of the mass in the tub quickly subsides and thegrain settles down slowly in a loose spongy condition on the tub-bottom,and thereby an increased quantity of liquor is obtained, and it candrain off promptly.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to em ploy more than one verticalshaft in a mashstirring apparatus, each shaft being provided withstirrer blades arranged spirally, the blades on each shaft pitching orwinding in opposite directions. I am also aware that it is not broadlynew to combine several shafts carrying mash-stirring blades with gearingwhereby said shafts are connected one to another. I do not broadlyclaiineither of the above constructions and combinations; but,

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States-- 1. The combination of the mash-tub, acentral vertical drivingshaft, D, aframe mounted on the shaft to rotatein a horizontal plane, three vertical stirrer-shafts, H, two mounted onthe frame at one side of the said drivingshaft and one at the otherside, gearing for giving each of these shafts independent motion, andtwo spiral blades, gg, which pitch or wind in an opposite or reversedirection and separately mounted on each stirrer-shaft, so as to admitof each being adjusted independently of the other, for the purpose setforth.

2. A stirrer mechanism having in combina tion a frame with means torotate the samein a horizontal plane, and two or more vertical shafts,each provided with two spiral blades which pitch or wind in an oppositeor reverse direction, whereby the rotary motion does not impart acentrifugal tendency to the entire mass, as set forth.

In testimony whereofI affixmy signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES ZIES.

Witnesses:

JNo. T. MADDoX, JOHN E. Mounts.

